Harpers Ferry Fireflies finish as Granny Basketball National Tournament Runner-Up for 2023 ...

The Harpers Ferry Fireflies played in the National Granny Basketball Tournament held July 15-16 at Luther College in Decorah, winning five of their six games played to end up as the National Tournament Runner-Up for the second consecutive season and for the third time in the last four tournaments.

The Fireflies have finished either first or second in each of the last seven Granny Basketball National Tournaments, winning four National Championships in 2016, 2017, 2018 and 2021 and adding runner-up finishes in 2019 and last year in 2022 to this season’s second-place final result, with no tournament being able to be played in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

At this year’s National Tournament, the Fireflies started the event by winning all three games played in their tournament pool Saturday, July 15, defeating three Iowa teams that included the Center Point Model T’s, 54-47,  the Iowa Gold Stars from Des Moines, 37-31, and the Des Moines Lady Redbirds, 44-43, in an overtime battle. They then entered the single-elimination tournament Sunday, July 16 and faced three more teams from Iowa, starting that bracketed tournament play with a 47-41 win over the Norway Late Bloomers before recording a 35-33 victory over the Iowa Gold Stars.

Those two bracket tournament victories advanced the Fireflies to the National Championship game against the same Lady Redbirds they had edged out in overtime in pool play just the day before. This time, however, the Fireflies were edged by a 45-40 final result to end up as this year’s National Tournament Runner-Up.

The Harpers Ferry squad wrapped up its 2023 season with a 19-2 record. They appreciate all the fans who supported them at the tournament and during the season.

Pictured above displaying the National Tournament Runner-Up medals they earned at the season grand finale are, left to right, Assistant Coach Ron Steege, Coach Bill Nation, Tracy Fallon, Georgia Jones, Karen Wagner, Jackie Friederich, Linda Mahr, Margaret Hermeier, Judy Kelly, Betty Steege, Cindy Riniker, Tina Hendrix, Sally Light, Theresa Welsh, Donna Matti, Sherry Adney and Selma White. Submitted photo.